NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Starting pitchers Brooke Darling and Emily Kenyon guided the Columbia softball team to a sweep of Yale on Saturday. The Lions (15-15, 4-4) took the first game, 2-1, and cruised to a 7-2 victory in game two.

Kenyon mowed down the Bulldogs (7-21, 3-5) for six innings, allowing just one hit, before working her way out of a jam in the seventh inning to help Columbia hang on for the win. Darling was masterful, punching out nine batters and allowing just two unearned runs in the series finale.

The Lions return to the Baker Athletics Complex to take on Saint Peter’s for a twinbill on Thursday, April 11. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Game OneColumbia 2, Yale 1

Emily Caruthers led the game off with a bunt single and stole second base to set up Alix Cook, who cranked out a single to right field to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.

Kenyon held the Bulldogs at bay, allowing just one hit through the first six innings to keep the Lions in front.

Columbia added an insurance run, putting runners on the corners for Alyssa Swearingen with one out. Swearingen hit a fly ball that was dropped by the Bulldogs’ rightfielder to extend the margin to 2-0.

Kenyon ran into trouble in the bottom half of the inning, surrendering a single and a walk to start things off. Riley Hughes broke up the shutout bid with an RBI knock to center to cut the deficit in half with no outs.

The next batter flew out to centerfield, but Kenyon allowed another single to load the bases. However the savvy first-year came up with a huge strikeout and induced a fly ball to right to end the game.

Kenyon allowed just four hits and the one run in seven innings of work to improve to 7-6 on the year. Caruthers finished 2-for-4 with the stolen base and run scored.

Game TwoColumbia 7, Yale 2

The nightcap started as a carbon copy of the opener with Caruthers kicking things off with a single and stolen base. A groundout moved the leadoff hitter to third base for Alix Cook, who dropped down a squeeze bunt to give the Lions the early edge.

Columbia brought in three more runs in the third to give them some breathing room. Alyssa Swearingen drew a walk, stole second, and was pushed to third on a long fly out. Cook drove in her second run of the day with a single and Nicole Borchard kept the rally going by another base-hit to the outfield.

Macy Shrum made it 3-0 with an RBI knock and Morgan Cook delivered a single out of the reach of Yale’s diving third baseman to give the Lions a four-run cushion.

In the fifth, Liz Caggiano’s sac fly scored Borchard and Columbia added two more on RBI hits by Borchard and Morgan Cook.

The Bulldogs scored twice in their final turn at-bats, but it was too little too late.